UNDERNUTRITION IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS PATIENTS WITH DISABILITY

Clinical evaluation of nutritional status (NS) was performed in 75 rhe umatoid arthritis patients. They were distributed according to functio nal class, radiological stage and other prognostic factors (rheumatoid factor, extraarticular disease, disease duration). Evaluation of the different anthropometrical measurements in this group of long-standing RA patients (average disease duration: 10 years) revealed a significa nt impairment of lean body mass (LBM), especially among those with gre ater disability (Functional Class III and IV). Patients in more severe radiological stages (Radiological Stage III and IV) or patients with extraarticular disease also presented a significant loss of LBM compar ed with a matched cohort of the general population and patients with a more benign-course disease. There was less impairment of the fat mass , according to our clinical evaluation. Serological parameters of unde rnutrition (albumin and transferrin) did not show significant differen ces among the groups of patients. Clinical evaluation of NS in RA pati ents is a useful procedure for recognising patients at high risk of re lated complications by means of their poor nutritional status.